Lee won't rush comeback for IPL's sake

His international cricket derailed by a string of injuries, Australian pacer Brett Lee is in no mood to risk another breakdown.

Written by Press Trust of India

Read Time: 2 mins

Melbourne:

His international cricket derailed by a string of injuries, Australian pacer Brett Lee is in no mood to risk another breakdown and has ruled out rushing his comeback to play in the Indian Premier League in March.

Currently nursing an elbow injury sustained during the one-day series against India last year, Lee, who plays for Kings XI Punjab in the IPL, refused to say whether he would be available for the Twenty20 event starting March 12 this year. "I am not going to be making any statement if I will be ready or not," Lee said.

"It is just a point of how the elbow feels and just working hard on my fitness and see what happens after that," he added.

The 33-year-old pacer, who underwent the "most painful" surgery of his career in December, was told to wear a shoulder brace for at least six weeks by doctors.

The tearaway bowlerhas been wearing it for eight weeks now but hasn't been able to move his arm too freely.

Lee, however, insisted that his rehabilitation was well on track and he hopes to start bowling by the last week of February.

"I am about eight weeks post-surgery. I'm looking forward to possibly start bowling form February 23. It is a slow process," he told 'Cricinfo'.

"It has been difficult (running with the brace) but I am now on backpack running and steadily getting back to training so I am confident," he added.

Lee's international career has been as much about injury breakdowns as it has been about bowling at breakneck pace. The fast bowler, who is also a part-time musician, has undergone four ankle surgeries besides nursing injuries on his ribs and elbow since making his international debut in 1999.